More illegal cash, vehicles seized in poll-bound Karnataka

Bengaluru, April 4 (IANS) Surveillance teams of the Election Commission (EC) seized unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 4.60 lakh, vehicles valued at Rs 42.75 lakh and unspecified quantity of rice worth Rs 3.45 lakh during the last 24 hours in poll-bound Karnataka, an official said on Wednesday.

“With the latest crackdown on offenders, our teams have cumulatively seized Rs 1.63 crore in cash and vehicles and other items valued at about Rs 3.5 crore so far for violation of the model code of conduct,” said the state Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar in a statement here.

The poll code has been in force since March 27 for the May 12 Assembly election in the state.

“An FIR (First Information Report) has been lodged for misuse of government vehicle, and five others for inducements to voters in the last 24 hours,” the statement said.

The Excise Department has seized over 250 litres of liquor in the past 24 hours.

Since the enforcement of the code of conduct, 3,433 litres of liquor was seized and 218 heinous cases were lodged. The Department so far seized liquor and vehicles valued at Rs 1.32 crore.

A total of 1,156 squads and 1,255 surveillance teams have been put in place to ensure the code of conduct is followed in the state.

As the code also bans carrying of licensed firearms, as many as 46,235 arms from across the state have been deposited with officials so far.